St. Paul daily globe., 1887-08-22
RAPID TRANSIT.
A Correspondent Re-EchOes the
Globes Views Regarding Sub
nnhan HnunaS

n correspondent he-EcnOeS Tic
Globes Views Regarding Sub
urban Homes,
To the Editor of the Globe.
Your most excellent editorial in yes
terday's GLOBE on Suburban Homes"
touches the very marrow of the rapid
transit question. as evidenced by the
hearty approval it received from num-
Der of our leading citizens in the writer's
hearing. The portion of your article
especially indorSed reads as follows:
There should be the greatest encourage
ment TO this suburban building, but here in
ST. Paul ii has hardly been given the impetus
desired. Without easy transportation the
building of suburbs is impossible, and ade-
quate transportation facilities are exactly
what st. Paul wants.
With street car and motor lines pushing
out into the country, there would be sub
urban building boom little short of phe
nOmenal And we trust in the interests of
the city's future growth that the conditions
for producing the phenomenon will not be
long delayed.
This is the keynote of this important
question, and naturally leads to the
more practical question: "HOw can
these conditions be brought abOut?"
Much has been said or written on the
subject, but as yet little or nothing
done. The difficulty arising from the
iron monopoly of the present street car
company, and their unwiilingneSS or
inability to improve and extend their
service. is well known and understood.
But another and more, if not the most,
formidable difficulty has thus far passed
unnOticed. And. strange to say, it is to
be found in the attitude of our own
patriotic citizens who perhaps cry the
lOudeSt for an extended and better
service, but who rabidly oppose any
effort made if they think such effort is
likely to slightly damage their own
property.
Everybody clamorS for better and
more rapid transportation for the good
and glory of st. Paul, provided they do
not have to sacrifice anything. Our city
council, though often much abused,
has the good of our city at heart. and
have shown themselves willing to grant
privileges to any legitimate enterprise
having that end in view. But they are
the servants of the people, and cannot
act in the face of formidable protests
from citizens.
The complaint at the delay of the cable
building is in strange contrast with the
opposition from many property owners
before the council to granting the Ordl-
nance to build it. A year ago an Ordi-
nance was asked to allow the street car
company to put steam or electric mo-
tor on the Oakland avenue hill, out
Grand avenue. But such was the OppO-
sition from a few property owners on
the line that the council naturally re-
fused to allow such motor, which if al
lowed would have peOpled that portion
of st. Anthony hill with hundreds of
homes before this date.
A few owners of property on the Min
neapoliS motor line howl about the nui-
sance, but ''just the same" out at the
other end are thousands of homes and
tens OF thousands of population which
that city would never have had but for
that smoky. dirty motor. 1t is all well
enough to talk about the need of ''rapid
transit" to pitch into the street car
company, to abuse the council, ETC., but
until our citizens who have just pride
in our beautiful and growing city are
willing to sacrifice something if their
property should be hurt a little by ca
bleS or motors or whatever they may be,
and let the council alone when it is dis
posed to help the city by granting lib
eral privileges. we will never have any
better service than we have to-day.
The fact is some streets must be given
up to rapid transportation of some sort,
if we ever have it, even if it does dam
age property little, and the sooner all
our citizens and property owners under
stand and act on that line the letter for
the interests of our city in this direc
ton and the prospect of soon securing it
for all portions of the city. SUBURB.